Review Roundup: Christina Aguilera Bionic
By Krystal Clark
Christina Aguilera is returning to the music scene with her latest album entitled, Bionic. According to the latest reviews, the disc shows Aguilera in the middle of an identity crisis. She’s not the overly manufactured pop princess who emerged from the late nineties or the edgy songstress who belted out “Fighter” for 2002′s Stripped. Find out what the new Christina Aguilera brings to the table…
The lead single, Not Myself Tonight:
The Polow da Don-produced “Not Myself Tonight,” is mediocre at best, with its leather-and-chain styled music video that screams hot mess. When she sings “I’m not myself tonight,” you wonder — what day of the week is she the real Christina? [The AP]
Lead single Not Myself Tonight is the kind of efficient but soulless robo-disco meets pop R&B which has become the will-this-do default option for every pop diva from Madonna onwards, while follow-up single Woo Hoo is just as tedious. [The Scotsman]
The Collaborations:
When Aguilera sings on the futuristic “Elastic Love,” co-written by M.I.A., she proves she doesn’t have enough swag to pull the song off, but she wins you over on the Linda Perry-assisted “Lift Me Up.”[The AP]
Bionic is larded with guest stars — Le Tigre, M.I.A., Sia — whose combined weight suffocates. The more they labor, the less distinctive Aguilera sounds. [Washington Post]
The Lady Gaga comparison:
With Bionic, she’s returned to the kinky stuff with an electro-pop dance twist that will certainly draw comparisons – whether Aguilera likes it or not – to the current queen of club land, Lady Gaga. [Canada.com]
Overall:
The idea is to reinvent Aguilera as a techno-age diva, which means folding her voice inside uptempo dance music and glitchy electronic textures. As she declares on “Not Myself Tonight”: “I’m doing things I normally don’t do.” OK, sounds interesting so far; by making the singer’s prodigious voice less of a focal point, “Bionic” puts the emphasis on the production, the sound, the sheer audacity of upsetting expectations. [Chicago Tribune]
Bionic could have been so much better. It’s left to MIA to salvage some originality with Elastic Love, an eccentric little electro-pop song which deploys office stationery items as a metaphor for a relationship. But it’s really just the best of a disappointing bunch – lyrics such as “paper clips couldn’t even hold us together” could have been written on a Post-it. [The Scotsman]
Have you heard Christina Aguilera’s new album? Do you agree with the reviews?
Tuesday, June 8, 2010 7:35PM
I like the album. It's not Christina, which sucks. So she kinda fails at that. But the songs, I like them. They're my style. I'm glad the albums out, but I wish she would have one that's really… her.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010 7:08PM
I don't understand what is her? I really love her new album. It's really cool and different from all the other things shes done. I love how she constantly reinvents herself with her style, music, and overall persona. She needs to continue to go in the direction that she going because she can only get better from here.
Friday, June 18, 2010 7:50PM
It's an awesome album. I was really surprised at how much I like it. I got the Deluxe version. She wanted to experiment and not be boxed in. I love the electropop songs. And you get plenty of Christina's great vocals on a lot of ballads on this CD and a sexy R&B number and a really unique song, Birds of Prey. Plenty here to like on this CD.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 10:26PM
Christina Aguilera is known for her big vocals and her drive for striving to always reinvent and create new sounds, images, and styles. Every album (excluding her first, Spanish, and Christmas album) has a different story behind it. Stripped represented stepping away from the control and lack of orginality of her old label. It was “the real Christina.” back to Basics rep. her respect for all the classics and soul music. And now Bionic is about Christina getting to experiment with electro/futuristic influences. Many people think she’s just trying to “one up lady gaga.” Please. Christina has more talent than LG could ever pray to have. The competition people create is not there. Christina has always respected electronica queen Peaches. (f*ck the pain away was Christinas favorite song while recording Stripped). Bionic is an awesome cd that just showcases the sound and feel that she wanted that album to have. We all know Christina can belt out notes like no other – so why is everyone so disappointed when she spends a few songs NOT doing the norm? She is always striving for a new sound and the theme of this album didn’t call for big vocals and the classic Christina ballads (but Lift Me Up and many others do showcase her amazing talent.) Christina has always expressed an interest in creating a Peaches-esque inspired album, and here it it – with or without Lady Gaga on the scene. Bionic is great, and yes even I admit it does lull a bit between tracks 9-15. But every track means something special to Christina. Unlike lady gaga, she doesn’t believe in “fillers.” so I can respect where she’s coming from during those “whhhat?” reaction inducing tracks. Christina does what she wants when it comes to creating an album. She doesn’t have to answer to anybody or make apologizes. She has put her time in the music industry and if she decides to make an untypical album, then more power to her.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010 7:42PM
This new album is different and fun! I was a little disappointed because it was a little too "pop" for me with tracks such as "Glam" and "I Hate Boys." Most of the songs I like are "classic Christina" such as "I am" and "All I need." My favorite track on the record is "Monday Morning" it's fun and classic '80s style pop. I don't think Christina is trying to become Lady Gaga at all. I respect all artists and I would never hate on anyone with talent. Gaga has her style that showcases her talent and Christina has hers. Both have great vocals in my opinion. I love how Christina always has a theme with every record. Bionic is a fun album with different sounds but I do miss the amazing big vocals that Christina Aguilera is known for. She's one of the best singers of our generation!